1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monitoring system for a vehicle, particularly to a monitoring system for a low-speed mobility vehicle such as a power wheelchair.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent years have seen the spread of low-speed mobility vehicles such as power wheelchairs that travel at very low speeds comparable to human walking speed and are suitable for use by the elderly and others with walking difficulties. An example can be found in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2007-112363.
The low-speed mobility vehicle of the aforesaid type may become stranded during travel (as when a wheel falls into a gutter or the vehicle collides with an object (obstacle)). In such a situation, the operator must seek help by contacting a vehicle dealer's service desk, a family member or other suitable source of assistance, or ask a passerby to call for help. The operator is therefore inconvenienced by the long time it takes to find assistance after the low-speed mobility vehicle becomes stranded.
This inconvenience can be eliminated by providing the low-speed mobility vehicle a remote monitoring device with communication capability in a configuration wherein the remote monitoring device contacts a suitable source of assistance as soon as the low-speed mobility vehicle becomes stranded. The reference is totally silent on this point.